Coming Full Circle
by Dreamcatcher2012
Summary: My version of what I think should happen between Aria and Ezra after 3x22. How will they deal with the real issue that Ezra might be Aria's teacher again? Rated M just to be safe.


**This was inspired by last night's PLL episode. This story will probably be a couple chapters long. Hope you all enjoy! As always, the characters, etc belong to PLL. As always, review! Thanks and enjoy!**

Aria walked down the familiar oak-lined hallway, stopping only momentarily to search for her keys in her purse. She had tossed them in amongst the folders, books and numerous tubes of lip gloss that made up her dumpster of a bag. It was times like these she wondered how she could accumulate so much in just the length of a day. After a minute of searching, she finally found her prize : her key chain. "Finally," she mumbled to herself as she quickly opened the door to her second home, 3B.

As she walks through the door she stops short, halted by the beauty of an all-out candle-laden room. In the center was Ezra, casually perched on the worn leather couch, book in hand.

"I thought Malcolm was staying with you tonight?" Aria questioned, still trying to figure out the scene in front of her.

"He was," Ezra responds while rising from the couch and slowly making his way towards Aria, "but I asked Maggie if I could take him tomorrow night instead…"

"Why? Is something wrong" Aria furrowed her brow showing concern at the thought. He hadn't mentioned anything earlier on the phone.

Ezra reached her and pulled her to him softly, "No," Ezra spoke with a reassuring tone," nothing's wrong. I just thought we could use some time together". He started rubbing his hands up and down her forearms and clarified, "Alone. As much as I love spending time with you and Malcom all together, I just needed some one on one Aria time".

Aria giggled lightly in response as Ezra leaned in for a kiss. "And what did you have in mind?" kissing him again, this time lingering slightly.

"Dinner," Ezra whispered before brushing his lips to hers again, "maybe a movie", he continued in between kisses, "maybe a little more of this".

As Ezra finished speaking, Aria took the opportunity to catch his lips in a more passionate embrace, winding her arms around his neck and moving her body flush against his. "Why don't we skip dinner and a movie for now?" Aria whispered into Ezra's ear as he wound his arms around her waist, pulling her tightly to him.

Ezra nodded into their kiss, pulling apart just for a second to respond, " I like that plan." With those last words, Aria and Ezra's embrace grew more heated as they moved toward the bed, forgetting the plans for the evening in favor of reconnecting on a deeper level.

xxx

A while later, Aria and Ezra were tangled in bed wrapped up in each other's arms. "I've really missed this…" Ezra spoke softly, "just you and me".

"Me too," Aria replied. Ezra kisses the top of her head and runs his fingers softly through her hair. Aria smiles and closes her eyes for a moment, basking in the moment. A moment full of nothing but happiness and love.

It was at this moment that she remembered the events of today and what she had to tell Ezra. Maybe this was the perfect time to tell him, when they were alone and happy. "So I talked to Mr. Hackett today," Aria began non-chalantly.

"Oh yeah? About what?"

Aria paused for a moment, trying to figure out the best way to tell him. "He uh, he asked me if we were together..."

"What did you say?" Ezra responded cautiously. His chest tightening under Aria's frame as he holds his breath.

Silence takes over the room, Aria clearly unsure of how he would react. She takes a slow breath and moves slightly so that her chin is resting on Ezra's chest and she is looking him straight in the eye. "I told him that we weren't, that it was short lived."

"Aria," he sighed as he let out the breath he was holding. "You shouldn't have done that."

"I didn't have a choice Ezra!" Aria insisted. "You need to work, you have Malcom now and he has to come first."

"But, Aria, what the hell are we supposed to do? I can't be your teacher again, people know about us…" he broke off stunned by the predicament they were in once again.

"We'll just lay low for a while," she rationalized as she sat up and sefl-consciously pulled the sheet around her, "who knows, maybe you won't even be assigned to Rosewood?"

"That's not realistic," Ezra deadpanned, sitting up to meet Aria. "Even if we could lay low, there's still your parents to consider.

Aria reached for Ezra's hand hoping the gesture would help convince him that this could work. " I know, I know," she said squeezing his hand at the same time, " I don't want to lie to them, but I don't have a choice."

Ezra shook his head and looked away. Aria was so willing to go back to where they had started if it meant he could work again, but was he willing to go there? He took a minute to consider the situation and his relationship with Aria. Hiding their relationship nearly tore them apart, hell, it nearly tore her family apart. They couldn't go back, there was no way that would work again. "No, Aria," he said as he turned to face Aria once again, "we can't do that to your parents. They are finally giving us a chance. I can't ask you to lie to them again and I won't betray their trust again."

By this time, Aria was getting frustrated. She new he was right, but what choices did they have? "I mean what choices do we have left?" Aria thought out loud in a sullen tone. "We can't lie to them, but you need a job…." she broke off once again hating what she was about to say…. "Maybe we should lie low, Ezra, really low…" With these words hanging in the air, she moves her body closer to Ezra's, her eye's locked on his in an effort to make him understand what she was about to say.

" What are you saying, Aria?" Ezra struggled to get out as he feared what she was suggesting.

"Maybe…" Aria pauses to wipe a lone tear that slides down her cheek, " maybe we should take a break…."

"Where is this coming from? It's just a job, I can find work somewhere else…." he faltered while coming to a new realization. "Wait, is this just about the job or is this about something much bigger? I mean we never actually talked about your feelings about everything…." Ezra looked down as he grabbed her hand subconsciously afraid to let her out of his grasp.

"Ezra no" Aria said confidently. She takes a second to readjust the sheet around her and takes her free hand to Ezra's face, carefully tilting it upwards so their eyes meet once again. With as much conviction as she can muster during this delicate situation, she begins, " Ezra we haven't talked about things because there was never a question. Yes, Malcom changes things, a lot of things, but he could never change how much I love you. You and me, Ezra, never question that. We both know it's right. We spent too long trying to convince ourselves it wasn't, but here we are over a year later and we're here, together." They both smile for a moment, reflecting on the ups and downs of the past year.

After a moment, Aria's smile fades and a few more tears brim in her eyes, "But, if taking a break now means making things easier for you and Malcom, then we have to consider that. I'm not going anywhere, maybe we just need some time until we each figure things out a little better." By this point, tears were flowing down Aria's face and Ezra was speechless, stunned by her proposal.

Ezra finally breaks the silence with a simple word, "No." He takes a moment to gather his thoughts as a crease forms on Aria's forehead in confusion at his statement. "We aren't taking a break. That's not an option. Yes, I'll admit it's going to take time for me to figure out what being a dad means to me and how it changes my life, but I can't figure that out without you. You are a part of my life, Aria. I don't know what's going to happen, but I know you are supposed to be right next to me." He smiles and moves to brush away the tears on Aria's face softly with the pads of his thumbs. They both take a deep breath, and laugh slightly as Ezra continues, "So a break is of the table. That leaves only one option. We need to talk to your parents and explain things. Maybe if we're honest with them from the beginning about my teaching and the possibility of you being my student again, they'll understand."

Aria sees the desperate look of hope in Ezra's eyes, but know that there is no way her parents will understand "That's crazy," she shakes her head, "they'll never go for it."

"We have to try, Aria. They deserve a chance and so do we."

"Okay," she agrees breathlessly, nodding her head up and down ever so slowly. "We can try."

Ezra smiles and leans forward to kiss Aria passionately. "I love you."

Aria smiles in return, "I love you too, Ezra". They both lean in for another kiss and it quickly turns into a heated exchange as Aria let's the sheet covering her naked body fall and Ezra begins to pull Aria to him as he lays them both down on the bed.

Before things escalate further, Aria's stomach rumbles, reminding them that their earlier dinner plans had already been postponed once this evening.

"How bout that dinner?" Ezra asks with a grin on his face. He moves out of Aria's grasp, puts his previously discarded boxers on and makes his way to the kitchen. Aria moves to follow, but Ezra stops her, "Hey, stay where you are. How does dinner in bed sound?"

"Perfect," Aria responds as she snuggles back under the covers and watches Ezra move to the kitchen. 'How did I get so lucky?' she wonders silently. If only her parents could fully understand their love. The thought of the difficult conversation they would need to have soon popped into her head. How would they react? Would they understand?

With that last thought, Aria pushed all bad thoughts out of her head. At least for tonight they would be happy. They have each other tonight and that's all that matters.

**Hope you all enjoyed! Please review!**


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